1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Linear Accelerator (LINAC) technologies, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a system for stowing and deploying MRI and LINAC equipment within the same enclosure for rapid patient imaging and treatment.
2. Background of the Invention
MRI is the de facto standard for soft tissue imaging. It allows physicians to know precisely the location of injury, tumor growth, and organ malfunction. This aids surgeons in pinpointing situs of entry into the body. It also facilitates non-invasive treatment, such as radiation therapy.
MRI has drawbacks related to non-invasive treatment scenarios. Structures (organs, tumors, fluids) within the body move, sometimes shifting by as much as an inch within a few minutes. So, an MRI image taken at minute 0 may be inaccurate at minute 3, particularly when the image is generated to determine the precise location of a neoplasm or tumor to be subjected to an externally-applied radiation beam from a LINAC or some other non-invasive treatment modality.
Ubiquitous electromagnetic radiation can cause artifacts and aberrations in MRI images. Unfortunately, every electronic device (including radiation treatment machines such as LINACs) emanates extraneous electromagnetic radiation (EMR), which while harmless to humans, wreaks havoc with MRI image quality.
Special rooms are therefore necessary to house MRI devices, these rooms designed to seal off any incursion of EMR. The problem becomes how an MRI imaged patient can be then quickly shuttled from the MRI enclosure to an area (albeit awash in EMR) for treatment by a LINAC or other electronic device. The LINAC cannot be housed in the same room as the MRI due to the LINAC emitting electromagnetic radiation. But, the organs in the body continually shift such that targeting and irradiating internal structures becomes problematic even just a few minutes after imaging.
State of the art solutions include enclosing an MRI machine in an EMI cladded room, but then having an adjoining room for radiation treatment.
A need exists in the art for an LINAC-MRI enclosure configuration which minimizes the time between patient imaging and patient radiation treatment. The configuration should accommodate conventional size LINAC and MRI equipment The configuration should also allow both pieces of equipment to co-exist in the same operating theatre while providing the necessary protection to, and from, each piece of equipment while it is in use. The configuration should also minimize patient movement during imaging, during patient transition from imaging to treatment, and during treatment.